Healthcare Project Manager: Skills You Need to be Successful in the Role

As a healthcare project manager, there are a unique set of skills that are essential to be successful in this role.

But like any other project manager, you’ll need great communication skills, organization skills and the ability to motivate a team to complete projects on time, to scope and on budget. 

A healthcare project manager could manage a wide range of projects as the healthcare industry is rapidly changing.

Project managers are the backbone of these big transformations that help this industry move forward and thrive. In this post, we will discuss the essential skills that are required for success in this role. 

Essential Skills for Healthcare Project Managers

Big Data Management

Healthcare project managers should have a deep understanding of how to manage large sets of data. The nature of the industry requires management of patient data, provider data, research data and so much more. Although the project manager may not have hands-on technical skills in the different tools to manage large data sets, they should have knowledge of the capabilities and possibly the limitations of the tools. 

As a healthcare project manager, you will likely work with a few different teams who all manage a different dataset. A great quality would be understanding how to strategically plan and communicate with the necessary stakeholders to manage projects that require either the transfer, merge, extraction of large sets of data.  

Risk Management

Healthcare project managers who are highly skilled in risk management play a pivotal role in ensuring high quality care in the industry.

The ability to anticipate risks in the handling of patient, provider, supplier etc. information is utilized by the project managers to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of the data being managed within the project. 

An effective risk management plan enables you as a project manager to effectively develop mitigation strategies. 

Technology Trends

The ongoing digital evolution is especially important in healthcare as telehealth is on the rise! Patients who use telehealth services have increased by 20% since before the pandemic.

With this increase comes the need for more security and privacy solutions. As a healthcare project manager, a great skill to have would be to understand the technology trends as it relates to virtual healthcare and the requirements of keeping data secure. 

To learn more about different project management roles, responsibilities, and salaries; or just to connect with other women in the project management profession. Join the Women of Project Managment Membership!

By, Airess Rembert, PMP, Member of Women Of Project Management & Blogger at The Nerd Bae

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